Safe and sound, or lucky by chance?

Highlights

Siddaramaiah is rather keen on staying back at Cauvery

A self-confessed rationalist, the former CM seems to be fixated with his current residence, a sprawling bungalow set amid one acre of land

What’s quite ironic is that when Siddaramaiah was CM, he had proposed to table an anti-superstition bill. And yet, when he first occupied the CM’s chair, he would touch the chair with a lemon, supposedly given by his astrologers, before sitting

When it comes to ‘earthly attachments’, our former CM Siddaramaiah can’t seem to be able to shake off his love for his current residence. The self-confessed rational and theist is hesitant to give up Cauvery – not the river, but his official bungalow that he claims to be lucky for him. Sources in the Government say that the Congress Legislature Party leader is citing ‘security threat,’ as the latest reason to continue living there for at least another two years.

However, there has been no official written request made by Siddaramaiah. Instead, he is making a few ministers, and his known camp-followers, to exert pressure on Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy so that the bungalow is alloted to their leader, Siddaramaiah, yet again.

However, sources in the State Intelligence told Banglore Mirror that there is no threat to any leader in Karnataka, leave alone Siddaramaiah. “The Chief Minister, other ministers and those holding Constitutional positions have been provided with security as per the rule book.

Even the former CM is given similar security. There is no threat that justifies additional security,’’ said one of the officers, on the condition of anonymity.

In the name of George

After being made chairman of the Congres-JD(S) coordination committee, Siddaramaiah was hoping to stay in the bungalow by getting the status of a Cabinet rank ministerala UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. But, he was denied the post by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy citing that giving him such a status would amount to “office of profit”. The bungalow was alloted to Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara. But later it was given to the Commerce and Industries Minister, KJ George, who in turn allowed Siddaramaiah to continue living there.

According to sources, the Congress leader appears to be slightly embarrassed to continue living in a bungalow that has George’s name on it, and is therefore
trying to convince some of his followers in the Cabinet to officially allot the sprawling bungalow, spread over one-acre, to him. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has said that Siddaramaiah will be provided security if there is any security threat. But he did not confirm nor deny if his predecessor is actually under any threat whatsoever.

As per the rules, any occupant has to vacate the official bungalow within 90 days after losing power or office. If not, the occupants are charged a hefty rent by the Public Works Department which maintains these buildings.

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Siddaramaiah’s vaastu and beliefs

What’s quite ironic is that the former CM had initially refused to move to Cauvery from his lucky bungalow on Kumara Park East near Gandhi Bhavan. He was staying there as the opposition leader and went on to become Chief Minister. In the past, he had lost his Deputy Chief Minister’s post while staying there, besides straining the relationship with his political mentor, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda.

He moved to Cauvery only after a few Vaastu changes were made. On the advice of experts, he started to use the southern door to enter his chamber on the third floor of Vidhana Soudha. His predecessors were using the the door facing the west. When he first occupied the Chief Minister’s chair at Vidhana Soudha, he would touch the chair with a lemon, supposedly given by his astrologers, before sitting in it.

The Cauvery jinx

The bungalow however hasn’t been lucky for all. The list of Chief Ministers, and erstwhile residents of Cauvery, who failed to make a comeback to the Assembly includes R Gundu Rao, Veerendra Patil, S Bangarappa and JH Patel. Even MV Venkatappa, the Speaker, could not return to the Assembly. Jagadish Shettar however was slightly more fortunate. He lost power, but did get elected to the Assembly.

The other lucky charms

Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda believed that Anugraha – the sprawling bungalow next to Cauvery – was lucky. He stayed there as Chief Minister and later went on to become the Prime Minister. So, when HD Kumaraswamy became Chief Minister in 2006, he too occupied Anugraha. This time, however, he did not opt for any of the official bungalows, citing bad vaastu. He was looking to move into the modest bungalow of the Chief Secretary which was fully vaastu compliant. Later, he decided to stay on at his residence in JP Nagar and at a ‘lucky’ suite at the Taj West End hotel on Race Course Road.

His brother, PWD Minister HD Revanna too moved out of his residence in Mohammedan Block in Basavanagudi to his native in Hole Narsipura. He was travelling 342km to his office at Vidhana Soudha every day as his lucky bungalow at Kumara Park East was occupied by his predecessor HC Mahadevappa.

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